Reaching for Those Glistening Stars
by M. Castor
Summary: Somehow, Mizuki had ended up in some strange place with expressionless zombies  figuratively speaking and...Odri? These zombies also hold information regading her missing family. But how would they know? Read after SEEING STARS AND SPANDEX
1. Chapter 1

**We return to the exciting part of our teen queen's story.**

* * *

><p>"Topaz, you little sneak. What are you doing here?" Egglady persists as she approaches us with giant shotgun in hand.<p>

I clear my throat, trying to keep composure despite how badly my plan is going.

"Why do you have that gun pointed at little ol' me for?" I ask, feigning nonchalance.

"Answer the question already you spy…ah!" she looks over the body of Mizuki, who is still convulsing with the Chaos Emeralds glued to her. "You wanted to steal my Chaos Emeralds right?"

"I was-"

"Well too bad, I only have six of them. Something wrong with your little friend here?"

I stand offensively, preparing myself for any kind of sneak attacks she's known for using. This isn't my first standoff with Egglady, but I gotta keep on my toes. With an calm demeanor, she watches Mizuki struggle. She reaches down to pluck one of the Chaos Emeralds and it instantly responds with a zap to her fingers.

"What did you do?" she asks accusingly, raising the gun at my forehead.

I guess I should tell her the truth-it'll probably save my ass. For a while, my radar in my pocket has been trembling like a freezing child. When I take it out to show her my true motive, it shatters under the pressure of the concealed gem inside-a yellow Chaos Emerald.

"You've had the last one all along, give it here-"

Before I can make a move, it sticks itself to Mizuki, making all the Chaos Emeralds fill the room with blinding light; that's the brightest I've ever seen a set of jewels shine.

* * *

><p>"What…just happened?" I mutter as I open my eyes to an ineffable setting. There are glints of lights ubiquitously hanging in the blackness. My body's no longer in labor pain, but I'm not really sure if I'm in the laboratory anymore. What're these voices that I'm hearing? They seem so far away from here.<p>

Silently, I track down the source of the muffled voices while glancing around at the different-shaped lights.

"Hello?" I call out to the muffled voices, lifting my head to the lights. They disregard me, continuing to speak amongst each other-but they're becoming clearer.

_"…to handle this?"_

_"…time."_

"Hey! Quit ignoring me! I know you can hear me."

I trip over something and scream as I fall down into the darkness. Miraculously, I land on some camouflaged gleams-of-light surface. I turn to see what I tripped over and I'm shocked to see who I stumbled over.

"Odri?" I hover over his floating body. Just like Leather Jacket Guy, Odri's passed out like Sleeping Handsome. What is it with hot guys and sleeping? "Do I leave you passed out like this or let you sleep?"

"_I did not expect you to arrive here so soon," _says a man from behind me. _"Do not categorize as a 'man', young mortal."_

"Well, you look like a man," I retort while scrutinizing him, "speak like a man, so what else could you be?"

"_A-"_

"Ok whatever, that's not important. Can you tell me where I am?"

The man, wearing a robe that emanates something bizarre, crossed his arms while his expressionless face doesn't even twitch.

"_Demanding. The apple does not fall far from the tree, at least that is what you mortals say," _he coarsely replies, turning away with an air of arrogance.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I follow him, not hiding my frustration. "I just want to know where I am."

The arrogant ass ignores me further as he walks along a swerving road of gleams of lights.

"_You cannot even recognize my jewels," _he comments condescendingly, as if reading my mind.

"Jewels…? Are you talking about the Chaos Emeralds?"

He stops and faces me with his arms raised to the gleams. _"Look all around you mortal. My jewels are everywhere. You correct about the Chaos Emeralds, they are infused with powers of Time and Space-here."_

He plucks one of the gleams, like picking an apple from a wide, vast tree, and holds it out to me. I suspiciously examine the glowing light, still perplexed about what it could be and what it could do to me. He shoves it closer to my face, and then I raise my hands to accept the light.

"Fine, fine-you better not make me," I place my palms on top of each other and squint at the light. "do something-I don't…"

Holding the light in palm of my hand makes my eyes widen-I feel so nostalgic and happy…and sad, and-

"A star," I wonder aloud in awe. "These are all stars."

"_Correct."_

The star moves from my palm into my chest, filling it with warmth and a plethora of emotions.

"Woah, what was that? That felt pretty, wow!"

We trekked down the swerving road in silence, while I plucked more stars from their place. Still don't really know where I am or why I'm following this random guy, but what else could I do? Hang out with Odri? Speaking of which, maybe this guy knows him.

"Hey, what do you know about that guy?" I curiously ask as I release the bundle of stars into the air.

"_The sleeping one?"_

"Yeah-hey!"

The stranger is walking upside down, almost on a sideways, spiral staircase, camouflaged in the sky. He casually strolls up/down the spiral staircase. How does he expect me to me to follow him?

"How am I supposed to do this?" I demand. "Quit ignoring me!"

I swear I'm going to go ballistic. Hastily, I run after him, and then suddenly, I'm pulled up and turned upside down. I precipitate on the invisible surface wobbly, not sure how to move while like this. Ok, ok, just chill out and move very, very slowly. Once I get one leg to move normally, I run along upside down staircase and then the spiral paths, finally seeing the weirdo in the distance.

"Hey, this is actually kinda fun," I quietly admit to myself as my hands dangle in the air. With ease, gravity changes and I'm running along the sides of whatever this place is. That's right, I still don't know what this place is.

The stranger makes a sound similar to a snort.

"You still haven't told me where I am! Hey, hey!" I yell at the top of my lungs. What is it with people wandering off and ignoring me? This is really starting to tick me off.

I catch up to him after ten minutes of maundering. It already feels as though I've been here forever...but why is Odri here? This arrogant asshole hasn't answered any of my questions!

After taking in a couple of breaths, I logically ask, "why were you ignoring me?"

He doesn't respond, offuckingcourse, and merely glances at me.

"Jesus, you're as rude as sleeping Odri back there! No fricken' different."

Abruptly, I precipitate to the normal surface roughly.

"Ow, what the hell…"

"_Mortal."_

The stars begin to convert to black dwarfs, fading into the darkness.

"_Do not ever compare me to that _abomination _filled with endless Darkness," _he eerily warned, but his apathetic face never changed.

I stood agape as I realize where exactly I am. Somehow, I've ended up in space, above Earth, above…everything. Far off worlds repose beneath my feet.


	2. Chapter 2

I follow the stranger, shamefully and fearfully,-'cause he was really pissed when I compared him to Odri-for another twenty minutes until my feet begin to feel sore. But I highly doubt he would give a f-

"_How prematurely you have visited us Mizuki,"_ a woman standing in front of the stranger states. _"However, I'm never surprised by anything."_

"How do you know my name? Does he know my name too?"

"_Yes, I do,"_ the stranger replies as he takes his place by the side of the woman. Her hair is long and silvery, and like her partner-in-crime, wearing a celestial robe.

"I have a feeling that I'm in space," I share my weird assumption, waiting for them to laugh in my face and call me crazy. Instead, the apathetic woman nods.

"_I expected your arrival much later in the future. Alas, that is not my forte,"_ the stranger comments, taking a seat in an invisible chair. _"It took you quite a while to realize this."_

I shrug.

"Do I get to know your names?"

"_Mizuki you far too familiar with us. Besides, we have many names to give you-everyone calls us something different. Aren't I right Brother?" _says the arrogant man ambiguously.

"_Correct, Brother."_

"Huh, what? But she's…"

"_Mizuki, we have no true form," _the woman claims, sitting down. _"Let's discuss you for just five minutes…oh."_

I feel something coming from behind me; with alacrity, I turn and block the invisible force that almost knocks me down to the surface.

"What're you doing?" I ask the two puzzling people, since I'm not sure any more about who's a girl and who's not. I deflect more inconspicuous jabs, until I'm grabbed by the throat and lifted into the sky.

"_That's not necessary-" _nonchalantly says Maybe Not A Man, rising from the chair. Transgender Lady emotionlessly watches my struggle silently, raising a hand to Maybe Not A Man.

"_Dori that is enough."_

I swiftly kick whatever is latched onto my neck and it works! I drop back to the invisible surface while waiting for another strike. How am I predicting each strike so perfectly? It's an amazing feeling-it's like I know what's going to happen next.

"_Enjoy your power while you have it," _mumbled Maybe Not A Man in a sour tone. Then he turns towards his "brother" and eerily asks, _"How long are we going to keep playing?"_

"_Patience."_

"What was that about? What's _really_ going on here?" I put my hands on my hips. "Don't just gawk at me like I'm speaking gibberish."

"_Oh well, she certainly is as boisterous as her mother," _Transgender Lady says in a low tone while staring idly at me. My eyes widen and I can hear my heart pounding wildly against my chest.

"What did you say?"

"_You heard me." _ Transgender Lady stands up and menacingly stands over me. _"You and your mother are nothing but the same. That is why she's gone from your world. She wasn't _fit_ and she disrespecting me and my brother. I will not tolerate her children's actions either._

I stand petrified, unable to respond to her insult. All I know is that somehow, my fists are tightening and I'm crunching my teeth together. The precipitated hatred I suddenly have this woman-man, ugh whatever-makes we want to _strangle _her.

"Mizuki, you haven't gained the true power needed to slay Mother," Odri's familiar voice warns in my head. "Don't do anything regretful-"

"How do you know about my mom?" I bark furiously.

"_We both are too familiar with your mother Mizuki. She's the reason why everything is the way it is," _Maybe Not A Man takes over, rising with renewed annoyance. _"Without your mother, you would not have the life you so desperately hate."_

My fists tremble, eager to land a hit in his plain face.

"_The destinies of you and your brother would have had a brighter outcome," _Transgender Bitch adds, just dying to piss me off even further. Unfortunately for these two assholes, it's working.

"_Shut up! _You know nothing about me or my family, so stop acting like you do," I blurt out, ready to punch one of them in their godly faces. "You're both lying to me! Now tell me what happened to my mom!"

I hear a faint chuckling echoing around me.

"Mizuki, you are quite the passionate girl," Odri comments cheerily, ignoring the tense atmosphere. "You're infuriating both Mother and Uncle."

My ears focus in on Odri now, forgetting about the two asses in front of me for a second. "Mother and Uncle? I'm so confused about everything-not even just gender anymore. You're related to these jerks?"

Before he can answer, I'm shoved back by an inexplicable force, distancing me from the two "beings". When I get to my feet and lunge at them, yellow-eyed monsters prevent my advancement. Just like when I was predicting movements earlier, my eyes turn white and I relentlessly jab through the swarm of varied-size Heartless.

"What do you know about my mother and my brother?" I scream in the midst of Heartless chaos. "When I reach you, I will beat it out of you if I have to!"

"_Try your very best Mizuki," _taunts Transgender Bitch. _"By the time you reach me, you will learn nothing."_

"Oh yeah?" I run through the swarm, kicking and jabbing Heartless where their white spots lie. After forty seconds of beating, I reach the end, and charge at my antagonists. However, something holds me back from landing a punch on her face; I strain and grunt, trying to give her what she fricken' deserves. Wait a second, where are the white nodes in her body? That was the _only _way of beating her.

"_I already told you, this is not our true form. We merely use the body of a mortal to communicate among the specific galaxies," _informs Maybe Not A Man with his hand stretched out in front of him.

"Then what the hell are you?"

"_A question that will be answered _in time_. Your time here is coming to an end Mizuki-therefore the newfound powers you have will dissipate," _explains the stone-faced girl thingy. _"The Chaos…"_

My cries of sheer hatred and anger make her mouth move, but no sound follows. I've never felt this weird hatred towards another person before, but these "things" are making me go ballistic! I'm trying my very hardest to calm down, but seeing their stolid, blank expressions as they say all that false shit disgusts me. Unfortunately, by the time I calm down, it seems the Transgender Bitch is just about wrapping up her explanation.

"…_are ready to face the Darkness. Farewell Mizuki, we shall meet again, and you will not dare return with this tantrum."_

The surface beneath my feet instantly vanishes and gravity shoves me down, harshly, to the forever-stretching stars and blackness. Those two stone-faced things watch, in subtle delight, my descent away from them, until I return to the void I had entered thirty-five minutes ago. I listen to the strange silence that follows.

"_She can still hear us," _says Transgender Bitch. _"The Emeralds should be removed from body in seven more seconds. Brother, you seem distressed."_

"_Disturbed is the better word. I did not expect to see her act like her kin."_

"_They are twins. Besides, Evelyn-"_

Evelyn? That's my mom's name.

* * *

><p>My hands are still screaming in pain. But I don't have the time to stop and soak them in some water, no no no. Instead, I'm carrying Ms. Coma on my back so that Egglady doesn't shoot our heads off.<p>

"Uuuung, Jesus, what happened?" groggily asks Mizuki, no longer Ms. Coma. I immediately unlatch my arms from under her legs. "Ow, the hell! Why did you drop me? Where-am I?"

"Watch the attitude," I snap while massaging my red palms. "It was you that nearly got us killed, but I'm the one who saved your-"

The shotgun fires rapidly in the air. I guess she woke up after I immobilized her-I gotta get us outta here.

"What the hell was that-a gun?"

"No, it was the gingerbread men marching towards us-yes! We need to escape the same way we came."

"But there's-"

I glance at my left arm and suck in my teeth.

* * *

><p>Crimson liquid protruded through the dull, maroon spandex.<p>

"Oh shit, you're bleeding."

"No kidding, that's why we have to get outta here!"

I hop to my feet and we take off running, letting the brisk air hit our faces. That Transgender said something about chaos-did she mean something to do with Chaos Emeralds? Oh yeah, right before I blanked out and went to space, the Chaos Emeralds were all over my body and I was in so much pain.

"Hey what did you do with those Chaos Emeralds?" I shout, unable to speak coherently while running.

"You wanna go back for them?" she screams back astonishingly. Another gunshot keeps us on track towards the upcoming exit. "Go right ahead, she's waiting for you with _open arms_."

'

"That's the last time I'm ever asking you for help me-grah!" grunts Spandex Girl as she extracts the bullet from her arm. "Look at this, a tracker."

For once, my hidden taciturn nature kicks in. There's too much on my mind to even think about Spandex Girl and her bullet wound. Chaos Emeralds and those two things that disrespected me and my family are the main dilemmas that I have to really think about. I mean, how could I just let that "person" say all those stuff about Mom?

Just as Spandex Girl and I are about to go our separate ways, a white snowflake falls from the sky. As we glance up, more descend upon the city.

"Working with you is certainly exciting," she comments with a smirk.

"Thanks, but I like living and not getting shot at. And hey, you never explained why we went there in the place."

Her expression turns somber. "My friend."

"Leather Jacket Guy you mean-"

"Give him a little more respect than that."

"What'd he do?" I shrug casually.

She crosses her arms and stares at the nearly snow-covered sidewalk. "He did something really stupid… with the last Chaos Emerald I had, he might've woken up, but of course, you had to mess up the plan."

"Where is it?"

"Back at Egglady's base."

I guess that's the one who was shooting at us-well her aim sucked because I move as slow as a snail. Besides, Leather Jacket Guy ends up with all the Chaos Emeralds in the end, so why should that matter?

"Wait, so why-?"

"No more questions, they bother me. I'm outta here!" she jumps on the bridge railing. "Adieu!"

In four seconds, she's-ok, _why do I keep doing that? _I'm always so specific about the time, it's starting to annoy me.

** Done. Review please! Happy New Years!**


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